OREM, Utah — Tyler Robinson, the accused in the Charlie Kirk case, has been given legal representation ahead of his scheduled court appearance next week, as confirmed by officials on Wednesday evening.
Following the shooting incident on September 10 at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Kirk was hospitalized in critical condition, where he eventually succumbed to his injuries, according to officials.
Robinson is facing charges of aggravated murder, obstruction of justice—two counts, felony discharge of a firearm causing serious injury, witness tampering—two counts, and committing a violent act in the presence of a child.
Charlie Kirk is featured speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah, before his tragic death. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/Getty Images)
Richins faces a slew of felony charges, including aggravated murder.
Prosecutors claim Richins deliberately poisoned her husband with a cocktail laced with a fentanyl dose five times the lethal limit to gain financial benefit and escape her marriage.
Nester previously represented Dr. Michael Kirk Moore, who faced allegations of disposing of COVID-19 vaccines and administering saline shots to children instead, as well as allegedly selling counterfeit vaccine cards.
In July, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said that all charges in the case were dismissed at her direction.
Utah criminal defense attorney Kathryn Nester has been appointed to represent Charlie Kirk’s alleged assassin, Tyler Robinson. (University of Texas School of Law/Utah Governor’s Office)
“Dr. Moore gave his patients a choice when the federal government refused to do so,” Bondi wrote. “He did not deserve the years in prison he was facing. It ends today.”
She was previously a federal public defender for Salt Lake City and San Diego and served on the National Steering Committee for the Clemency Project during the Obama administration. Nester graduated from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law.
Randy Spencer, a criminal defense attorney in the Salt Lake City area, told Fox News Digital Nester “is a well known criminal defense attorney located in Utah.”
“She is currently working on another high profile murder case, Kouri Richins. That case also will be pretty demanding of her time. She and her partner, Wendy Lewis, will have a lot to balance just in those two cases, let alone the rest of their case load,” Spencer said.
Tyler Robinson, 22, the suspect in the shooting death of Charlie Kirk, appears by camera before 4th District Court Judge Tony Graf on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, for his initial court appearance in Provo, Utah. (Scott G Winterton/Pool via Deseret News)
“The criminal defense community in Utah is a very generous and helpful group of attorneys. I am certain that other attorneys will volunteer to assist Kathy and Wendy,” he added. “I am not sure what it is like in other states across the country, but we have a very good and cooperative defense bar in Utah.”
In her new case with Robinson, Utah County Attorney Jeff Gray indicated last week he intends to seek the death penalty.
